n-o-t-h-i-n-g

i was thinking that maybe its just me.
i've got nothing to say to him.
his mom comes over this morning,
and i discover that i have nothing to say to her either.
he has even less to say to her, than me.
lots of looong, awkward silences
i try to fill time with mindless chatter
we take our afternoon walk with still no talking
he has an amazing grasp of the obvious
i would rather not comment
i have nothing to say
let it go, let it go.

tonite, at dinner
our teenage son is giving me cause for concern,
his attention to girls, the phone, the band
being on the drumline is position of honor
all the trappings and trimmings
a reputation to uphold
his grades suck however
altho his intellect would disagree
he is distracted
by things other than assignments
lets start the school year on the right foot
please

wait a minute.
why am i doing all the talking?
certainly the father
must have something insightful to say
words that will hit home
reinforce the restrictions i place on son's time
now is important
this is your one chance to turn the corner

but across the table i sit
looking at the man who would be the father
and he says nothing
nothing at all
doesn't even reiterate what i just said
nothing
silence
i am aghast
he leaves me hanging out in the breeze
dangling in the wind
all alone
it was a moment that stood
frozen in time
the enormity of it
only just now, sinking in